It is known in the art to anchor a rope or cable to the roof of a building and then to run that cable down the side of the building. In this way, supplies, movable platforms, or workers themselves can access the exterior of a building or structure. This is commonly seen as employed by window washers, painters, or repairmen. The safety concern is that the rubbing of the rope or cable across the rough edge of the building wall will inevitably cause fraying. A frayed cable is an unsafe and dangerous cable.
It is known in the art for workers to simply throw a piece of carpet or similar material over the edge of the wall and then run the cable or rope over that. While this, ostensibly, helps with the problem of fraying, it increases the risk of another problem, mainly, the side to side motion of the cables. Furthermore, these “carpet solutions” are prone to slipping out of place. The carpets themselves are prone to wear through quickly due to the forces involved.
Some attempts to solve this problem have employed the use of expensive swing-arm mechanisms. These are typically permanently anchored to the building, are expensive, and unsightly.
There exists a need, therefore, for a safety apparatus that is configured to safely and securely guide cable over the edge of a building, and is secure, compact, and durable.